A car two spots from mine had a magnetic sign on the driver’s door that said, “AUTHOR ON BOARD.”

“What a clever idea!” I thought. It’s such a novel tactic. (Pun intended.)

The author wasn’t literally on board at that moment, so I took a couple of pictures and decided I’d contact her later  to see if she’d answer a few questions for a blog post.

I did, and she did.

Author Tracy Fontaine, who promotes her paranormal mystery Beyond Lilla with the car sign, is a laboratory technician at the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, N.Y. Beyond Lilla is her first book.

Here’s our conversation.

What gave you the idea for a car magnet for your book?

I was so excited when I first published Beyond Lilla in 2013 that I joked with my husband that I was going to shrink wrap my car in a design to advertise. Why not use the car for advertising when I’m driving all over town, right? I had noticed magnets on other vehicles, and it seemed like the most practical, affordable place to start.

Where did you get it and how much did it cost?

I order the magnets online from Vistaprint. Using their templates, I uploaded a file of the cover of my book, and designed the text to suit me. They have two sizes of magnets, a smaller one for cars, and a larger one for trucks or larger vehicles. I drive a Honda Civic, but I still opted for the larger magnets for more impact. They fit on the doors nicely.

The current price is $20 each, which I don’t think is so bad. However, Vistaprint occasionally runs some great sales — buy one/get one free, or other discounts. I wait for those sales and stock up.

I leave the magnets on year-round, even through the winter (people are always looking for that good book to read on a cold winter night). The magnets last about 12 to 18 months before they get too faded or start to peel. (Of course I remove them before I go through the car wash.)

What have been the reactions to it?

Very positive. Folks are drawn to the magnets, and also amused, and have been interested in learning more about the book.

I try be aware if someone parking or walking nearby is checking out the magnet. I’ll engage them and offer them a bookmark so they can check out my website.

One time while my husband and I waited to exit the Thruway in Albany, a man gave us a thumbs up from his car in the next lane. We lowered our windows and he exclaimed “Great advertising!” So, my husband quickly grabbed a bookmark and handed it to him. Who knows how far that bookmark traveled?

Recently, as we exited our car at the grocery store, a woman who had stopped next to our car apologized for staring at the magnet. I told her that’s what it’s for, as I handed her a bookmark. She said she was looking forward to checking out the book.

Would you do this again? Why or why not?

I would definitely do this again. It’s an inexpensive way to spread the word,

What impact do you think it’s had on your book sales?

While I can’t give you solid numbers, I’m sure the magnets have encouraged a few purchases.

Thanks to the magnets, Sandra has invited me to contribute to her blog. (Sandra, thank you for this opportunity to share!)

What other things have you done to promote, publicize, or market your book?

Bookmarks: I designed and printed a bookmark (with a photo of my book cover, a short abstract, and my website URL). I always carry bookmarks with me in my purse and in my car, sort of like my business card. I’ll stick a few on public bulletin boards next to other folks’ business cards.

Posters (11″ by 17″): I designed and ordered the first set from Vistaprint ($5 each). I still have a few in reserve, but now I copy them locally for a lower price. I place the posters wherever I can find a public bulletin board, including at my workplace. I also had a couple of them laminated so I can display them when I sell books at craft shows.

Selling at events: I purchase inexpensive booth space at all sorts of craft shows — books really stand out among the throngs of traditional crafts at Christmas shows, and arts/craft shows.

Thanks to those handy bookmarks and posters, people have contacted me to sell my book or present it in several settings, including teen audiences, book clubs, and at séances or in bookstores — even at chicken barbecues! I love it! It’s so fun to visit with folks.

Of everything you’ve done, what do you think has been the most effective tactic?

It’s hard to say, but I might lean toward the bookmarks because I can hand them to someone and they have the reminder with them to encourage them to check my website.

When I sell a book in person, I always place two bookmarks in the book. — one for the customer, and one for them to give to a friend. I know of one person who loved my book and gave the bookmark to a friend, a teacher at a local high school, and suggested the students might like the book. Her high school classes read it in their summer reading program, and loved it! They invited me to speak to the class. Although my book was written for adults, apparently teens like it, also.

Would you like to add anything else?

When I designed the magnets for my car, in the top section, where the business name is supposed to go, did I put the name of my book? No. Folks would just ignore it, assuming it’s a business, like insurance.

Instead, I designed big bold letters on the top of my car magnet: Author on Board. That’s why people notice my magnet and find it cute and amusing. In the body of the magnet, there’s a picture of my book with a short description. At the bottom is my website address.

For my posters, I didn’t start with the name of my book. My posters are dark blue and black with a picture of my book cover. At the top of the poster, a creepy/haunted bright yellow font reads: Meet Rochester’s newest ghost in: (underneath is the cover of my book with the tittle Beyond Lilla). When this poster is displayed on my book table at craft shows, as busy shoppers file by, the words “Rochester” and “ghost” grab their attention.

Big thanks to Tracy for sharing with us! What’s the most interesting thing you’ve seen an author do to promote a book?